Canonical has officially launched development for 26.04, the next Long Term Support (LTS) release of the popular Linux distribution Ubuntu. The first daily build images for this new release, codenamed “Resolute Raccoon,” have been made available for download for testers. This development signals the start of a long development cycle that will continue until the stable release in April 2026.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS daily test builds are now available for download
Daily builds, as the name suggests, are raw software packages automatically created almost daily using the most up-to-date software code. The primary purpose of these releases is to provide developers, testers, and technology enthusiasts with the opportunity to try new changes early and report any potential bugs to the development team. In this context, the final release is expected to be much more stable and trouble-free.
However, it’s important to emphasize that these releases are not suitable for everyday use. These images, which only undergo basic automated checks such as whether the installation screen is displayed or not, can be unstable and contain serious errors. Therefore, installing them on your main computer is strongly discouraged. If you want to closely monitor the development process and be among the first to see the latest updates, testing these builds on spare hardware or a virtual machine is the best approach.
At these early stages of the development cycle, don’t expect major user-visible updates. The first few months will be largely spent updating packages and tools in the background. Those who want to download the daily Ubuntu 26.04 builds can visit Canonical’s official Ubuntu CD image server. It’s also been stated that monthly snapshots will return, and the first is scheduled for release towards the end of November.
Development has just begun for the new LTS version of Ubuntu, which will be released later next year. So, what are your expectations for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS? Are there any features or improvements you’d particularly like to see in the new version? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
